In recent years, various types of cholesteric liquid crystal displays have been studied which have a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and require neither a backlight nor a polarizing plate. The cholesteric liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of rod-like liquid crystal molecules arranged to form a multilayer structure. The liquid crystal molecules are arranged so that the alignment is in roughly the same direction in the planar direction in which each layer spreads and is helical in the layer stack direction.
Cholesteric liquid crystal in a non-voltage applied state (planar state) selectively reflects light having a specific wavelength (selective reflection wavelength) corresponding to the chiral pitch (helical pitch). Cholesteric liquid crystal in a low-voltage applied state (focal conic state) transmits light. Cholesteric liquid crystal displays display an image by selecting the planar state and the focal conic state appropriately.
As an example of such liquid crystal displays, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid crystal display element in which a chiral nematic liquid crystal composition that selectively reflects a specific visible light wavelength at room temperature is sandwiched between a pair of substrates at least one of which is transparent. An alignment stabilizing film is formed on each of the substrates, a blue absorption layer is placed on the substrate opposing the display plane, the peak reflection wavelength of the selective reflection of the chiral nematic liquid crystal composition is in the range of 570 to 600 nm, the peak reflection wavelength of the blue absorption layer is in the range of 450 to 480 nm, and the half-width of a spectral reflection waveform observed when the liquid crystal layer made of the above liquid crystal composition is in the selective reflection state is 95 to 115 nm. This disclosure describes that having this configuration, a large-contrast liquid crystal display element exhibiting good whiteness in mono-color display of white color and another color, and in particular a liquid crystal display element that can provide good blue/white display and is small in viewing angular dependence, can be obtained.